Community Partnerships: Thienemen Construction

Over the last year, Thieneman Construction has partnered with Family Scholar House as one of their community partnerships. Thieneman donated money to refresh the playground at the Stoddard Johnston Scholar House and hosted two successful career fairs, one for children, and one for adults. 

Thienman Construction was started by Ken Thieneman in 1999 as a self-performing general contractor to be a self-performing environmental contractor that provides value engineering services. Thieneman Construction self-performs the site work, concrete construction, mechanical systems, and process equipment. Their relationships with the engineers, owners, subcontractors, and vendors have been the key to their success in this industry. Lisa Gray, their Community Development/Benefits Coordinator chooses the community partners and is the liaison. 

Thieneman recently expanded its volunteerism into community service. Originally, they worked on single projects instead of picking organizations to invest in throughout the year with volunteerism and engagement. Gray chose Family Scholar House because she saw the impact of the organization, as well as the mission we have here. As a single mother, she found the organization incredibly inspiring. When she was raising her daughter, organizations like Family Scholar House were few and far between. Family Scholar House’s mission, ending the cycle of poverty and transforming our community by empowering families and youth to succeed in education and achieve lifelong self-sufficiency hooked her at first glance.  

Thienmen’s first partnership with Family Scholar House was the career fair. Gray planned this event with Erica McCubbins—the Children’s Advocate—and Stephen Bernard – the Career Coach. This project was a personal challenge for Gray because she had never planned a career fair specifically for children before, and it was difficult for her to conceptualize. Yet, it was an absolute joy for her to put it all together. The fair was filled with organizations like the library, the fire department, Louisville metro, an ambulance, and schools like Coleman Prep and some universities. The families and participants won prizes at various fall festivities across Louisville, and there was even a scavenger hunt. Gray loved every minute of the children’s career fair – especially how inquisitive the youngest scholars were at each booth. Lisa’s favorite part is always encouraging others – like her colleagues to participate in the community. That is when she’s most in her element.

Around six months later, a more traditional career fair for adults happened. It was bustling, to say the least—the attendance was out of this world! Gray was very impressed by the vendors in attendance; they were diverse, taking care of all aspects of the job spectrum. Furthermore, Gray was equally impressed with how well-prepared the participants were with their questions, resumes, and business cards. Participants followed up with her after the event to share the good news of them getting job offers as a direct result of the fair.

Thienemen Construction donated $20,000 for the playground refresh at Stoddard Johnston Scholar House Campus. The Stoddard Johnston Scholar House campus is home to 57 single-parent families with 81 children. The playground refresh provided upgrades and enhancements to the space and a place for young scholars to explore, imagine, and play. It was such an easy yes for Gray once Kate and Deja explained the need for the refresh. This collaborative effort underscores the importance of community engagement and corporate social responsibility in creating meaningful change. The goal is to provide a safe and enjoyable space for youth to engage in physical activity, develop teamwork skills, and build lasting friendships. 

Gray’s final thoughts reflect her passion for doing her dream job and her deep appreciation for working with Family Scholar House. She has cherished working with not only the dedicated team but also the participants, all of whom have made this journey so rewarding. The entire process has been smooth and filled with gratitude from all involved. This experience is a testament to the strength of the community and the exceptional quality of FSH’s participants. A strong community is being built, and it will only continue to grow stronger.